Labor’s IR limitations

Mark Latham
has identified the effective takeover of the Labor Party by a few union officials who have no real connection with the dwindling party members (“Labor: running on empty", Opinion, December 15). Labor’s almost total dependence on trade union officials has significant implications.

It suggests that the government is unable to change the extraordinary union bias in the Fair Work Australia legislation, reflected in decisions by the administrative tribunal against which there is very limited scope to appeal. This despite the development of what now seems close to a crisis in workplace relations. And this means we are close to the position recommended in the Hancock Committee report in 1985 that trade unions effectively be treated as above the law.

Moreover, while the then Labor government rejected Hancock’s recommendation and proceeded shortly after to start reducing the regulation of industrial relations, today there appear to be no leaders likely to follow that course.

Yet if the situation continues, not only will Australia suffer but so too will the Labor Party and political government in Australia.